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Acer Switch V 10 SW5 (x5-Z8350) Convertible Review

Long-lasting. Acer's 10.1-inch convertible Windows laptop carries a price tag of about 360 Euros (~$390). The little device runs silently and offers a long battery life. It is also equipped with a Type C USB port (USB 3.1 Gen 1).

For the original German review, see here.

Acer's Switch V 10 is a 10.1-inch convertible Windows laptop. Our current test device is the successor to the Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742, which we reviewed in May of last year. Visually, the two devices do not have much in common, but inside they share a commonality: both systems are fitted with Atom processors from the Cherry Trail generation. The Switch V 10's competitors consist of other convertible laptops, e.g. the Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310 and the HP x2 210 G1.

Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q (Aspire Switch Series)
Processor
Intel Atom x5-Z8350 4 x 1.4 - 1.9 GHz, Cherry Trail
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Core: 500 MHz, Single-channel, 20.19.15.4364
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3-1600, Single-channel, Soldered
Display
10.10 inch 16:10, 1280 x 800 pixel 149 PPI, Capacitive, 10 touch points, Active stylus supported, ChiMei, IPS, glossy: yes, detachable screen
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 43 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, Audio Connections: Audio combo, Card Reader: MicroSD, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Acceleration sensor, TPM 2.0
Networking
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.2 x 262 x 188 ( = 0.76 x 10.31 x 7.4 in)
Battery
28.2 Wh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 10 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 5 MPix Webcam
Secondary Camera: 2 MPix No flash
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, McAfee LiveSafe (trial version), 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
1.2 kg ( = 42.33 oz / 2.65 pounds), Power Supply: 94 g ( = 3.32 oz / 0.21 pounds)
Price
359 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case and Connectivity

The Switch's case is almost entirely black, though Acer has embellished the device with a few silvery accents. In terms of manufacturing quality, the little computer does not appear to have any major weaknesses. Its stability, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. It takes little effort to bend the keyboard, and the laptop is not particularly rigid on the whole.

Acer has not provided the Switch with many ports. The focal point here is the Type C USB port (USB 3.1 Gen 1). This port serves as the video output (DisplayPort over USB-C; requires the purchase of an adapter) and the connection for USB devices. Another USB port (USB 2.0, Type A) has found its way into the keyboard dock. We were disappointed not to find a second Type-C port on the tablet and another Type-A USB 3.0 on the keyboard dock.

The built-in WLAN module has a Qualcomm chip (QCA6174) that supports the WLAN standards 802.11a/b/g/n, as well as the fast ac standard. Our WLAN test, which is performed under optimal conditions (no other WLAN devices in the vicinity, short distance between the laptop and server PC), demonstrated that the device has good data transfer rates.

Size Comparison

262 mm / 10.3 inch 180 mm / 7.09 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 1.2 kg2.62 lbs264 mm / 10.4 inch 182 mm / 7.17 inch 19.84 mm / 0.781 inch 1.2 kg2.65 lbs262 mm / 10.3 inch 188 mm / 7.4 inch 19.2 mm / 0.756 inch 1.2 kg2.65 lbs246 mm / 9.69 inch 173 mm / 6.81 inch 18.2 mm / 0.717 inch 1.1 kg2.43 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Right side: Power button, Volume rocker, Windows key, USB 2.0 (Type-A)
Right side: Power button, Volume rocker, Windows key, USB 2.0 (Type-A)
Left side: Power connection, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), Audio combo, Memory card reader (MicroSD)
Left side: Power connection, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C), Audio combo, Memory card reader (MicroSD)
Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m
HP x2 210 G1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
80 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Realtek RTL8723BS
34.95 MBit/s
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
HP x2 210 G1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
71 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Realtek RTL8723BS
37.44 MBit/s
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
374 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
247 MBit/s

Input Devices

The Switch's flat, slightly roughened keys have a short travel distance and clear click-point. The tactile response could be a little crisper, at least for our taste. The keyboard buckles somewhat during typing, though not to an intolerable extent. All in all, this is a reasonably good keyboard for home use. The multitouch-capable ClickPad measures about 9 x 5 cm (~3.5 x 2 inches). Fingers glide easily over the pad's smooth surface, but its click point could be more distinct. The Switch's touchscreen supports 10 touch points. It reacts to input instantaneously and did not cause us any trouble. The touchscreen can also be operated with an active stylus. We tested this functionality with a stylus manufactured by Hama - to our full satisfaction.

Keyboard dock
Keyboard dock

Display

Pixel structure
Pixel structure

The Switch's 10.1-inch touchscreen display has a native resolution of 1280x800 pixels. It offers a good contrast ratio (1286:1), but we expected a better brightness level (238.6 cd/m²). A convertible laptop should reach at least 300 cd/m². At brightness levels of 90% and under, the display uses PWM backlight flickering at a frequency of 877 Hz. Even sensitive individuals should not have to worry about eye problems or headaches at this frequency.

238
cd/m²
241
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
232
cd/m²
270
cd/m²
227
cd/m²
242
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
ChiMei tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 270 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 238.6 cd/m² Minimum: 19 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 270 cd/m²
Contrast: 1286:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.01 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.66 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
76% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
49% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
54.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
76.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
52.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.45
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
IPS, 1280x800, 10.10
Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742
IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
IPS, 1280x800, 10.10
HP x2 210 G1
IPS, 1280x800, 10.10
Display
-13%
-2%
-18%
Display P3 Coverage
52.5
45.37
-14%
51.1
-3%
42.77
-19%
sRGB Coverage
76.3
67.5
-12%
75.2
-1%
63.7
-17%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
54.1
46.88
-13%
52.7
-3%
44.22
-18%
Response Times
-10%
-33%
-47%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
29 ?(8, 21)
37 ?(12, 25)
-28%
31.6 ?(13.6, 18)
-9%
43 ?(21, 22)
-48%
Response Time Black / White *
25 ?(9, 16)
23 ?(7, 16)
8%
24.8 ?(6, 28.8)
1%
25 ?(10, 15)
-0%
PWM Frequency
877 ?(90)
69.4
-92%
50 ?(60)
-94%
Screen
0%
-40%
-30%
Brightness middle
270
451
67%
251.9
-7%
313
16%
Brightness
239
440
84%
233
-3%
295
23%
Brightness Distribution
82
85
4%
83
1%
84
2%
Black Level *
0.21
0.48
-129%
0.348
-66%
0.21
-0%
Contrast
1286
940
-27%
724
-44%
1490
16%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.01
3.03
-1%
6.35
-111%
6.79
-126%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.63
6.45
-39%
11.15
-141%
14.11
-205%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.66
1.74
77%
7.09
7%
6.78
11%
Gamma
1.45 152%
2.37 93%
2.02 109%
2.26 97%
CCT
6665 98%
6568 99%
8590 76%
6708 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
49
43
-12%
52.69
8%
41
-16%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
76
59
-22%
63
-17%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-8% / -4%
-25% / -31%
-32% / -31%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 877 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 877 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 877 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The display's color representation in the factory default state is excellent. With a DeltaE 2000 color difference value of just 3.01, the display misses the target range (DeltaE less than 3) by a hair's breadth. The panel has no blue cast to speak of.

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - Color saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
25 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9 ms rise
↘ 16 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 53 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
29 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8 ms rise
↘ 21 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 32 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Acer has selected an IPS panel with stable viewing angles for their little laptop. As a result, the screen content looks correct from nearly any position. The Switch clearly is not cut out for outdoor use. Due to the display's low brightness level and reflective surface, working out in the sunshine is simply impossible.

The Switch outdoors (direct sunlight)
The Switch outdoors (direct sunlight)
The Switch outdoors (sun behind the device)
The Switch outdoors (sun behind the device)

Performance

The Acer Switch V 10 is a 10.1-inch convertible Windows laptop. The little computer is only suited to run simple office and internet-related applications. Our test device is currently on the market for about 360 Euros (~$390). As of the publishing of this review, we were able to find only one other current version of the Switch V 10. As well as the eMMC storage offered by our test device, its brother is also fitted with a 500 GB hard drive (located in the keyboard dock). Windows 10 Pro serves as the operating system.

Processor

Acer has equipped their Switch with an Intel Atom x5 Z8350 (Cherry Trail) processor. This quad-core processor has enough performance power for simple office and internet-related applications. Thanks to its low TDP (less than 4 watts), the SoC can be passively cooled - and indeed, so it is. The chip uses its turbo in both AC power mode and battery mode, and it runs at 1.7 GHz (Multi-thread) or 1.7 to 1.92 GHz (single thread).

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
999
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
3130
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
1984
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
29 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
100 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
11.16 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
29 Points 0%
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
29 Points
Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
27 Points -7%
HP x2 210 G1
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
26 Points -10%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
100 Points
Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
96 Points -4%
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
94 Points -6%
HP x2 210 G1
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
93 Points -7%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
3130 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
2575 Points -18%
HP x2 210 G1
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
2135 Points -32%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
999 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
884 Points -12%
HP x2 210 G1
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
855 Points -14%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
796 Points
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
2332 Points
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
934 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
2399 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
45.77 Points
HP x2 210 G1
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
44.02 Points -4%
Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742
Intel Atom x5-Z8300
33.52 Points -27%

System Performance

The hardware in the Switch V 10 has been designed to run simple office and internet-related applications. The computer's fairly weak performance power becomes noticeable when it tries to load websites that are packed with advertisements. The score in the PC Mark benchmark is reflective of the performance capabilities of the SoC. It would not be possible for the user to install or replace hardware to improve the computer's overall performance.

PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
1520 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1520 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8350, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1419 Points -7%
HP x2 210 G1
HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Z8300, 64 GB eMMC Flash
1391 Points -8%

Storage Devices

The Switch has a 64 GB eMMC module on board. Of the 64 GB, about 43 GB remain available to the user. The module's transfer rates are in the normal range for eMMC storage. Those who desire more storage can expand the space with a microSD card.

Another version of the convertible laptop comes with a 500 GB 2.5-inch hard drive in the keyboard dock. It would not be possible to retrofit our test device with a 2.5-inch drive - there is neither a SATA connection nor space inside the dock.

64 GB eMMC Flash
Sequential Read: 153.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 101.1 MB/s
512K Read: 136.2 MB/s
512K Write: 91.5 MB/s
4K Read: 12.58 MB/s
4K Write: 12.38 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 23.81 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 33.93 MB/s
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
64 GB eMMC Flash
Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742
Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
64 GB eMMC Flash
HP x2 210 G1
64 GB eMMC Flash
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-2%
-14%
-14%
Read Seq
153.9
167
9%
151.9
-1%
134.1
-13%
Write Seq
101.1
94.9
-6%
87.3
-14%
66.1
-35%
Read 512
136.2
149.9
10%
144.5
6%
112.9
-17%
Write 512
91.5
26.35
-71%
58
-37%
57.7
-37%
Read 4k
12.58
17.26
37%
9.35
-26%
15.79
26%
Write 4k
12.38
13.85
12%
12.26
-1%
10.06
-19%
Read 4k QD32
23.81
33.39
40%
29
22%
35.31
48%
Write 4k QD32
33.93
17.38
-49%
13.18
-61%
11.84
-65%

Graphics Card

An Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail) GPU is responsible for graphics output. This unit supports DirectX 12 and runs at speeds of up to 500 MHz. The results in the 3D Mark benchmark are in the normal range for this GPU.

The decoder integrated into the GPU eases the processor's burden during video playback. The decoder supports all the common formats, including H.264 and its successor, H.265. The latter allows for smaller file sizes at the same picture quality. During playback of our test video (4k, H.265, 60 FPS), the CPU load level was below 10%. We used the Windows 10 "Movies & TV" app to play our video. This app supports hardware-accelerated playback of H.265 material, whereas the Windows Media Player does not.

3DMark 11 Performance
410 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Intel Atom x5-Z8350
358 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Intel Atom x5-Z8350
298 Points -17%
Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742
Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Intel Atom x5-Z8300
297 Points -17%
HP x2 210 G1
Intel HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), Intel Atom x5-Z8300
291 Points -19%

Gaming Performance

The Switch's hardware is fit for playing casual games - such as those available in the Windows Store. Games that demand a lot of the hardware, e.g. “Watch Dogs 2”, are not playable.

low med. high ultra
Trackmania Nations Forever (2008) 97.8 25

Emissions and Energy

The Switch runs silently. It has no fan, and no other part of the device whirs or squeaks to break the silence.

Temperature

The Switch in the stress test
The Switch in the stress test

The convertible laptop completed our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark running simultaneously for at least an hour) in the same way in both AC power mode and battery mode. The CPU (1.68 GHz) and graphics core (500 MHz) both ran at very high speeds for about 5 minutes. Then both units began to throttle, slowly and gradually. After about an hour, the processor's speed clocked in at 1.2 GHz, while the graphics core ran at 420 MHz. The device never grew excessively warm. During the stress test, the computer's temperatures remained under 40°C (104°F) in all of the spots we measured.

Max. Load
 38 °C
100 F
29.5 °C
85 F
26.6 °C
80 F
 
 36.6 °C
98 F
29.4 °C
85 F
30.4 °C
87 F
 
 33.5 °C
92 F
29.2 °C
85 F
27.4 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 38 °C = 100 F
Average: 31.2 °C = 88 F
26.5 °C
80 F
30.5 °C
87 F
37.7 °C
100 F
26.7 °C
80 F
31.2 °C
88 F
37.4 °C
99 F
26.6 °C
80 F
30.6 °C
87 F
33.6 °C
92 F
Maximum: 37.7 °C = 100 F
Average: 31.2 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  35.4 °C = 96 F | Room Temperature 21.3 °C = 70 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.2 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.7 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.2 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33.5 °C / 92.3 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-5.4 °C / -9.7 F).
Heat development top (load)
Heat development top (load)
Heat development bottom (load)
Heat development bottom (load)
Heat development top (idle)
Heat development top (idle)
Heat development bottom (idle)
Heat development bottom (idle)

Speakers

The stereo speakers are located along the front edge of the tablet component. They produce an acceptable sound quality, though bass tones are almost entirely absent. Users will need to rely on headphones or external speakers for a truly satisfying sound quality.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.831.632.82537.830.737.83133.831.833.84029.830.729.85033.629.633.66328.627.528.6802726.52710026.425.926.412529.724.829.71603123.73120030.922.830.92502722.32731536.221.136.240051.620.451.650053.219.753.263059.41959.480058.818.858.8100063.418.463.4125062.117.562.1160061.617.661.6200063.517.563.5250065.717.765.7315065.117.965.1400065.21865.250006718.367630067.618.267.6800062.718.362.71000052.218.352.2125004418.2441600041.218.241.2SPL75.930.575.9N34.81.434.8median 58.8median 18.3median 58.8Delta13.11.313.135.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196QApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (66 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (31.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 90% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 8% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 89% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram comparison (checkboxes above are selectable/deselectable!)

Power Consumption

While the computer was idling, we measured a maximum energy consumption rate of 5.6 watts - a good result. At the beginning of the stress test, this number rose to 12 watts. After about 5 minutes, the number slowly began to sink again, in correspondence with the CPU and GPU's falling clock speeds. The power supply's nominal power rating is 15 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.25 / 1.24 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.9 / 5.3 / 5.6 Watt
Load midlight 10.9 / 12 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

In our WLAN test, which is designed to simulate practical, everyday use, we run a script that loads new websites at a regular interval. The "balanced" profile is active, the laptop's energy-saving functions are deactivated, and the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². The Switch reached a run time of 8:13 h.

Note: Our test device's battery demonstrated a wear level of 16%. In other words: The original capacity of 28.2 watts was no longer available - the capacity dropped to just 23.7 watts. With a fully functional battery, the Switch would run even longer.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 38)
8h 13min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Lenovo IdeaPad MIIX 310-10ICR
Z8350, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), 33 Wh
643 min +30%
HP x2 210 G1
Z8300, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), 33 Wh
550 min +12%
Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q
Z8350, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), 28.2 Wh
493 min
Acer Aspire Switch 10V SW5-014-1742
Z8300, HD Graphics (Cherry Trail), 29 Wh
382 min -23%

Pros

+ IPS display
+ runs silently
+ Type-C USB (USB 3.1 Gen 1)
+ good battery life
+ AC WLAN

Cons

- few connections
- rather unstable keyboard dock
- only one-year warranty

Verdict

In review: Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q. Test model courtesy of Acer Germany.
In review: Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q. Test model courtesy of Acer Germany.

The Switch V 10 is a new 10.1-inch convertible Windows laptop from Acer. Its Atom processor has the right level of performance power for simple office and internet-related applications. A decoder integrated into the GPU eases the CPU's burden during playback of videos in all the common video formats. The device runs silently and hardly warms up at all. Of the 64 GB of gross storage space, about 43 GB remains available to the user. Those who need more will have to make use of a microSD card. The keyboard is good enough for home use, though it is not designed for people with large hands. The IPS display delights the eye with its stable viewing angles and high contrast - although it could be brighter. 

Acer's Switch V 10 is a well-rounded convertible Windows laptop.

However, Acer deserves some criticism for their stinginess in terms of connectivity. A second USB Type-C port on the tablet and another Type-A USB 3.0 port on the keyboard dock would have finished off the computer nicely. On top of that, Acer is only offering a one-year warranty. We are used to better customer care from this company. Even Acer's laptops from lower price brackets generally come with a two-year warranty. 

Acer Switch V 10 SW5-017-196Q - 01/10/2017 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
73 / 98 → 74%
Keyboard
68%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
38 / 80 → 47%
Weight
73 / 35-78 → 87%
Battery
91%
Display
82%
Games Performance
37 / 68 → 55%
Application Performance
42 / 87 → 49%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
38 / 91 → 41%
Camera
42 / 85 → 49%
Average
66%
79%
Convertible - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Switch V 10 SW5 (x5-Z8350) Convertible Review
Sascha Mölck, 2017-03-24 (Update: 2018-05-15)